in the sudan , backed by the british , came under threat from rebellion under the leadership of native muhammad ahmad ( or ahmed ) , known as ma ##hdi to his followers . in 1883 , as part of the ma ##hdi ##st war , the egyptians sent an army to deal with the revolt , but they were defeated and faced a difficult campaign of extract ##ing their forces . the british instructed the egyptians to abandon the sudan , and sent general charles gordon to co @ - @ or ##dina ##te the evacuation , but he was killed in january 1885 . when news of his death arrived in new south wales in february 1885 , the government offered to send forces and meet
in the sudan, backed by the british, came under threat from rebellion under the leadership of native muhammad ahmad ( or ahmed ), known as mahdi to his followers. in 1883, as part of the mahdist war, the egyptians sent an army to deal with the revolt, but they were defeated and faced a difficult campaign of extracting their forces. the british instructed the egyptians to abandon the sudan, and sent general charles gordon to co @ - @ ordinate the evacuation, but he was killed in january 1885. when news of his death arrived in new south wales in february 1885, the government offered to send forces and meet